Rick Gosselin, sports columnist for The Dallas Morning News and SportsDayDFW.com and member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame selection committee, answered your questions about the Cowboys and the NFL playoffs in a live chat Monday. Some excerpts:
What do you think of the possibility of using Miles Austin as a bargaining chip for some help in the secondary?
There's a difference when a receiver must face the other team's top corner each week and have double coverage pointed his way. That's what Austin and Bryant have faced in their careers. Robinson has not. He's a fine complementary receiver, but life would change for him if he was lining up against the Pro Bowl cornerbacks every week. I've seen too many second and third receivers sign on for big money elsewhere as the lead guy and fail. Alvin Harper was a classic example.
Why do Dallas fans expect Jerry Jones to change?
They shouldn't. The clock is ticking on Romo's chances to win a Super Bowl. What happens when Romo is gone? Do you have any faith that Jerry can come up with a young franchise quarterback? More likely we'll see another parade of the Randall Cunninghams Drew Bledsoes and Vinny Testaverdes.
Will there ever be a time when we stop talking about these Cowboys and pay attention to more pressing items like the teams that are in and succeeding in the playoffs rather than those that just cant make it?
Probably not.
Other than Laurent Robinson, would you re-sign any of the Cowboys' other free agents?
I'd be interested in re-signing Spencer at the right price. He has some traits in run support I like. And you have to be able to hang in against the run in the NFC East.
Jerry Jones has to prove to Dallas fans if he is serious about spending a lot of money on big-name free agents and not these also-ran players.
As long as the Cowboys lead the league in attendance -- an average of 85,000 per game this season -- he has nothing to prove to the Dallas fans. They obviously like what they see -- or at least tolerate what they see -- or they wouldn't be spinning the turnstiles at a record pace.
What do you think of the possibility of using Miles Austin as a bargaining chip for some help in the secondary?
There's a difference when a receiver must face the other team's top corner each week and have double coverage pointed his way. That's what Austin and Bryant have faced in their careers. Robinson has not. He's a fine complementary receiver, but life would change for him if he was lining up against the Pro Bowl cornerbacks every week. I've seen too many second and third receivers sign on for big money elsewhere as the lead guy and fail. Alvin Harper was a classic example.
Why do Dallas fans expect Jerry Jones to change?
They shouldn't. The clock is ticking on Romo's chances to win a Super Bowl. What happens when Romo is gone? Do you have any faith that Jerry can come up with a young franchise quarterback? More likely we'll see another parade of the Randall Cunninghams Drew Bledsoes and Vinny Testaverdes.
Will there ever be a time when we stop talking about these Cowboys and pay attention to more pressing items like the teams that are in and succeeding in the playoffs rather than those that just cant make it?
Probably not.
Other than Laurent Robinson, would you re-sign any of the Cowboys' other free agents?
I'd be interested in re-signing Spencer at the right price. He has some traits in run support I like. And you have to be able to hang in against the run in the NFC East.
Jerry Jones has to prove to Dallas fans if he is serious about spending a lot of money on big-name free agents and not these also-ran players.
As long as the Cowboys lead the league in attendance -- an average of 85,000 per game this season -- he has nothing to prove to the Dallas fans. They obviously like what they see -- or at least tolerate what they see -- or they wouldn't be spinning the turnstiles at a record pace.
